Embattled Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma (left), and President Muhammadu Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday summoned Imo State governor, Hope Uzodinma, to Aso Rock Villa. A statement by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, said Buhari also summoned the Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, and the Chief Economic Adviser, Prof Doyin Salami.
The summoning of the Imo governor may not be unconnected with the fact that the state has come under sustained mayhem, which has claimed lives and property under the leadership of Hope Uzodinma whom the people of Imo State insists was foisted on them by the Supreme Court. They never voted for Hope and even since that Supreme Court decision, the state has known no peace.
However, the President is scheduled to meet separately with them. The statement said Buhari would be apprised of the latest developments in Imo State, the power sector, and the state of the economy. The three issues have collapsed, literally.
Under the watch of the Imo State governor, again unknown gunmen had at the weekend set the country home of Prof. George Obiozor ablaze. Obiozor is the President General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and former Nigeria’s ambassador to the United States of America and Israel.
Prof Obiozor hails from Awo-Omama in Oru East local government area of Imo State. Awo-omama is a neighbouring community to Omuma where Imo State governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, hails from. The governor’s country home was also set ablaze sometime last year by unknown gunmen. Houses of prominent Imo people, including traditional rulers, have been razed in recent times as insecurity spikes in the Igbo heartland.
It is not yet clear those behind the arson and the motive. The same day, gunmen also attacked a Police Divisional Headquarters in Umuguma a suburb of Owerri. While condemning the spate of violence in Imo State in the aftermath of the destruction of buildings and assets of the Police and the home of Prof. Obiozor, Buhari pledged to review the security situation in southeast Nigeria.
The President has also voiced his concern over the frequent power outages, apologising to Nigerians and assuring a quick relief to the situation.
